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I have a terrible admission to make. I have never read the book that I was named after. I, Amber Brown, who claims to love things with a bit of history, cannot sink my teeth into this tale that takes place in 17th Century England. I won't lie ... I think it's partly because I read Daniel Defoe's The Plague Year in first year university, and it was so painfully boring that it might have turned me off anything that is even remotely connected to that time period (except the Baroque decor, of course).
Not to lead you astray though, Forever Amber, written by Kathleen Winsor and published in 1944, is much more than a historical account of Restoration England. In fact, the book was considered so provocative when first published, that it was banned in 14 states and condemned by the Catholic Church for indecency, which obviously makes it sound a lot more interesting than some dull history lesson ... to me anyway.
Events such as the Plague and the Great Fire of London only serve to illuminate the struggles and bravery of the title character with whom I share a name, Ms. Amber St. Clare, whose actions in the book were considered "indelicate" at best. Her willingness to use her looks to advance in society caused outrage amongst many. It appears sleeping your way to the top was not quite so acceptable back then ;)
Because of her "indelicate" actions my grandmother nearly fainted when my mom said she was going to call me Amber. However, despite or possibly due to my grandmother's objections, my mother went on to name me Amber and despite or possibly due to its sordid nature, Forever Amber went on to become the best-selling US novel in the 1940s, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week of publication.
Not to lead you astray though, Forever Amber, written by Kathleen Winsor and published in 1944, is much more than a historical account of Restoration England. In fact, the book was considered so provocative when first published, that it was banned in 14 states and condemned by the Catholic Church for indecency, which obviously makes it sound a lot more interesting than some dull history lesson ... to me anyway.
Events such as the Plague and the Great Fire of London only serve to illuminate the struggles and bravery of the title character with whom I share a name, Ms. Amber St. Clare, whose actions in the book were considered "indelicate" at best. Her willingness to use her looks to advance in society caused outrage amongst many. It appears sleeping your way to the top was not quite so acceptable back then ;)
Because of her "indelicate" actions my grandmother nearly fainted when my mom said she was going to call me Amber. However, despite or possibly due to my grandmother's objections, my mother went on to name me Amber and despite or possibly due to its sordid nature, Forever Amber went on to become the best-selling US novel in the 1940s, selling more than 100,000 copies in its first week of publication.
When the novel was turned into a movie in 1947, it also experienced record-breaking success. This, of course, does not explain why I have neither read the book nor seen the movie. But now that my secret is out, I will get a copy and finish it before my birthday, which is less than a month away!
Forever,
Amber
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